New Ground

Sensitive Streets

Designing residential streets to feature rain gardens that collect and treat water from footpaths and roofs is just one solution included in AECOM's Concept Design Guidelines for Water Sensitive Urban Design, which have received two excellence awards—the first for Research and Communication from the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) Queensland, and the second for Stormwater Research from the Stormwater Industry Association (SIA) Queensland. According to AECOM Principal Professor Tony Wong, the guidelines and case studies assist urban design professionals to include best practice water management in their designs for a range of urban environments. "Relevant to all scales of urban planning and design, the guidelines cover every stage of the conceptual design process, detailing the best planning and management practices and important strategic and statutory planning considerations," said Professor Wong.

Prepping the President

AECOM is working with the White House and the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help develop operational guidance for disaster recovery organizations as well as make suggestions for future improvements to the way our nation responds to catastrophic disasters. AECOM is leading an intensive stakeholder outreach effort during October and November, 2009, involving state, local, and tribal government representatives, a wide array of private organizations and private non-profit organizations, and the public. Twenty AECOM staff members from eight offices will be facilitating stakeholder meetings and public forums to collect input to inform the planning process. Through this process, the Secretaries of DHS and HUD will provide the President with recommendations to improve long-term catastrophic disaster recovery and will help develop a National Disaster Recovery Framework that provides more detailed operational guidance to recovery organizations.

Poplar Point

Building on a previous assignment, AECOM is part of a consulting team currently providing development advisory services for 130-acre, mixed-use riverfront project known as Poplar Point in Southeast Washington, DC. AECOM's role includes analysis of market characteristics as well as forecasting demand and associated financial factors for a broad range of uses at the site, including residential, retail, office, and lodging facilities. Subject to the results of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the project will include mixed-use development and a 70-acre park and involve the relocation of National Park Service and Park Police facilities. The assignment is with the District of Columbia's Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, and the consulting team includes Wall Development LLC, Forest City Enterprises, Strategic Advisory Group, and Smoot Construction Corp. AECOM is also providing site planning services to the District.